Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To investigate the role of oxidative damage in cataractogenesis in the lenses of farm-raised North Atlantic Salmon fed a controlled diet. Methods:Following clinical examination and characterization of cataracts lenses were harvested and fixed routinely for morphologic studies. In addition, immunohistochemistry using markers for hydroxynoneal, a lipid oxidation product, and guanine oxidation product was performed on 6 micron, parrafin-embedded sections. Results:Oxidative damage was evident in the epithelium and in a perinuclear cortical zone which corresponded with clinical and histopathologic alterations of cataract. Conclusion:Cataract in farmed fish is a production-related disease of economic significance and multifactorial origin including nutrition and enviornmental factors such as water temperature. Altered glucose metabolism has been suggested to play a role in this model of cataractogenesis. The above results implicate oxidation of both lipids and nucleic acid as contributatory mechanisms.
Keywords: 338 cataract • 504 oxidation/oxidative or free radical damage